Promptful Chaos
by 3inkyfingers
Summary: 35 prompts revolving the ODS members and a past acquaintance of theirs. Rick, ever the new guy even when new faces emerge, is left floundering with the appearance of yet another "interesting" historic member of the CIA.
1. Chapter 1: Long Time No See

I've been working on this story for over a year and it seems that every version I create isn't quite what I'm wanting. I know that this isn't as long as my previous versions, for those of you who are familiar, but I figured that I'd post this and just run with it. I'm sorry if anything seems really stupid or very Mary-Sue, I'm looking for a beta and it seems that everyone doesn't have the time. If your interested I need a beta! Either way, this is my first fic, so please be honest with me if you review, but don't flame for flaming's sake.

So here it goes!

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Chapter One: Long Time No See

Rick watched as Billy trailed off, attention caught by something across the office. He was enjoying (trying to at least) a cup of coffee (it seems that it grew on him) in the break room, listening to Billy try to explain the (elusive) technique behind tailing someone. Billy was staring at a woman in surprise.

She was wearing a simple black pants suit with a grey colored vest over a white blouse. Black heels made her look much taller than her (probable/estimated/approximate) five foot three (four? two?) inch stature. Brown hair illuminated with copper tones as she passed by a window despite it being pulled back into a tight bun. Green eyes danced along with the hop in her step, contradicting her appearance with an airy nature.

"Keira?" Billy asked with a smile, moving to greet the woman. Rick followed a moment later.

The woman looked at Billy as if she hadn't noticed him a moment before, her airy nature flashed into attention before it flowed back into a happy demeanor. She lifted a hand to pull a small ear bud from her ear. "Billy!" The smile she gave took Rick back for a moment.

"Keira, my sun and stars, what heart you have to grace your dazzling beauty upon the office. I feel so blessed." Billy gave her a Charming smile (Rick had noticed that Billy was a man equipped with many smiles).

"I'm not sure if you are alluding to the fact that I look like a sexy man who is the leader of a bunch of horse people or that I'm lazy and hate dressing up for the office, but I'll let it pass because it's been a while," she replied with an easy smile.

Billy feigned a hurt look, bringing his hand to his chest putting on an Only Acting Like I'm Hurt smile. "I'm wounded that you would even think I would do such a thing. To even _imply_ that I _could_ dare such a thing makes my heart quiver."

The woman chuckled lightly. "Fancy words are fancy words, Mr. Collins," she replied in an exaggerated imperious tone.

Billy dropped the charade with a Normal-Nice smile. "Have you seen the others yet?" he asked.

"I saw Casey a few nights ago at the gym. Today's my first day back," she replied in a bashful tone a mischievous grin creeping on her face. "I was on my way to meet with Higgins, actually. I planned on surprising you after." She then turned to Rick. "Is this the Tobey Maguire Doris has been dotting on?"

Rick couldn't help the blush that ran up his neck.

"This _is_ the small lad," Billy proclaimed (declared/exclaimed) placing a hand on his shoulder, "who has stolen my dear Doris away from me."

"Hello Tobey, I'm Keira Keegan, pleasure to meet your acquaintance," sparkling eyes grinned at him as she struck out a hand.

"Rick, actually," he corrected as he grasped her hand.

She gave him a serious look that seemed a bit _too_ serious to be real. "Right I understand, we're at the CIA, our covers are vital. My name is not Keira then, it's actually Victoria Winters and Johnny Depp is a vampire who loves me with all his heart because I'm a reincarnation of his past lover slash bride to be. You have nothing to worry about_ Rick_," she gave him an exaggerated wink, making him feel exasperated at her obvious teasing (mocking/toying/playing).

"Young Rick is Young Rick, and Young Rick tends to be Serious Rick more often than he's Young Rick, so I guess you could say he's actually Serious Rick, but saying he's Serious Rick makes him more Flustered Rick and Flustered Rick is every bit of Young Rick and Serious Rick as he is New Guy Rick," Billy explained, loosing Rick (Real Rick) along the way.

"Ahh, so he really _is_ a Tobey," Keira determined, looking as of she understood.

"Only some of the time," Billy replied.

"When am I going to stop being the new guy?" Rick blurted out, feeling embarrassed a moment later.

Keira gave him a serious look that looked very real. "When you're able to tell Billy the answer to two plus two, Tobey," she stated, glancing down at a watch on her wrist. "I think I've dwadled enough, any more and I'll have ruined my perfectly laid strings of façade." She gave them a parting smile and strode away with a wave, heading towards the elevator that would carry her to Higgins's office. Rick was beginning to wonder if everyone who knew the ODS was a bit touched (crazy/nuts/clinically insane). He corrected himself a moment later, taking into account that Fey seemed normal enough (or was it just a façade?) not _everyone_ who knew them could be touched (mad/idiotic/senseless).

Billy waved to her and picked up his abandoned cup of coffee. Rick stood there in the hallway for a moment to contain the frustrated comments that sprung to mind at his indifference. "Who was that," he asked first, walking quickly to catch up to a jolly (happy/excited/cheerful) looking Billy.

"That was Keira Keegan, her real name," Billy replied happily.

Rick resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "What does she do?" he asked again.

Billy glanced at him before answering. "She's an operative like us," he replied, keeping his I'm Friendly smile on his face.

"Was she on leave?" Rick asked a moment later, once his exasperation was contained once again, thinking back on the remark she made earlier.

"More of a forced vacation," Billy conceded, taking a sip of his coffee. Rick gave him a questioning (inquisitive/curious) look, not really sure how to ask the question for the answer he wanted without being _too_ blunt. Billy relented with a Knowing smile. "They couldn't get her to retire. Long story short, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Rick gave him a confused look, chalking it up to Billy's usual vagueness and choosing not to dwell on it as he opened the door to their office.

"Keira's back," Billy reported in a jolly voice, dumping his empty cup into the small trash can by the door.

Casey barely spared them a glance, finding his book on _Inner Focus_ more interesting. "I saw her at the gym," he intoned.

Michael leaned back in his chair, eye brows raised in curiosity. "Interesting," he stated, the gears in his head obviously turning and churning. "She's coming over to say hello," he questioned more than stated.

Billy nodded his head as he walked over to his desk and inspected it carefully. "Yea, she said she was going to surprise us after reporting in with Higgins."

Rick was surprised to see Michael start searching his desk. Casey on the other hand pulled out a small bottle of blue dye from his desk drawer and placed it on his desk. "What is that?" Rick asked, as he approached Casey's desk.

Casey shot the other two a glance before looking at Rick. "Keira likes to play childish pranks around the office. If I were you I would search your desk for something that would stain your clothes, face or other bodily limbs."

Billy interrupted them with a triumphant shout, producing a similar bottle filled with black dye, Michael showed them a pink one. "I would look _very_ carefully. Keira and Simms were in the middle of a war when she left," Michael advised, as he went back to his computer.

"When she left?" Rick asked as he approached his desk warily.

"I think she knows Simms is gone. She knew about Rick at least," Billy said, sitting down at his desk.

"Did she mention Simms the other night?" Michael asked Casey, who turned a page of his book.

"She was a bit preoccupied," he replied instead, not looking up from his book.

At Billy's barking laugh and Michael's chuckle, Rick glanced up from behind his chair. "What?" he asked.

"Keira does not take kindly to unwanted advances from men," Billy chuckled.

"Oh," Rick replied as he went to his knees and continued to search his desk.

He was still searching when there was a knock on the door.

_Knock slap knock slap knock knock slap knock… slap knock slap slap knock knock knock knock… slap knock slap slap slap…_

Rick looked at the door in confusion, about to call out to enter, but Billy called out, "Friend or foe."

"Lemon drops," replied the voice.

"Come in," Michael replied, looking over his nose as he looked up from a fiction book.

Keira bounded in with a smile on her face. "You spoiled the surprise," she scowled at Billy, noticing the three bottles standing proudly at the edges of their desks. A glance at Rick brought the missing smile back. "Are you having a bit of trouble, Tobey?" she asked, not fazed by the scowl that he shot her.

"It's Rick," he replied, going back to his inspection.

"Should I help him out," she asked, looking to Michael who nodded after a moment's consideration.

She walked over and bent down, rolling over on her back a moment later, knife suddenly in hand. Billy whistled at the sight. Rick watched as she began to feel around the edge of the inner lip, pulling back black tubing. Her delicate looking hands worked quickly, carefully pulled out more tubing that eventually ran _into_ one of the legs. "I made this after the second comment Simms made about PMS and my choice in underwear," she explained, as she used her knife to wiggle out a false edge revealing a small pulley system (machine/contraption/thing-a-mah-jig) with small weights attached. Keira's hands were steady as she worked to untwine the carefully laid trap.

"How long ago did you set this?" he asked eventually (cautiously/slowly/warily).

"Oh I don't know, I rigged it so that when he moved his monitor next he'd spray his crotch with red dye," she gave Rick a cheerful smile as she sat up, barely missing the underside of the desk by a hair's breath.

"So who are you going to get stuck with?" Michael asked once she was standing.

"Well… he's not really sure Phyllis is willing to take me because of Howards and their relationship, and everyone else has the opinion that if I lasted that long with Jake and actually got along with him, then there must be something seriously messed up with me," she said with a sigh. "He's informed me of the possibility that I may be going into deep cover over seas, but he seems to be very reluctant to do that."

Rick glanced at the others, seeing that they were familiar with the names she mentioned, however they didn't clarify when he sat down, giving them questioning (curious/hopeful/probing) glances.

"So enough about me, what's been going on with you guys?" she asked suddenly, changing the topic.

"Nothing much really, it's just been the same as it's always been," Billy replied with a shrug.

"Saving damsels in distress and knights in aluminum foil?" she said with a questioning (interested) tone, looking towards Michael.

"Every other week or so," he replied, leaning forward on his desk. "So how is everyone?"

Keira gave him a bright smile. "Oh Michael, if you want to see how they're doing you should come to the reunion. I heard that Higgins was going to try to send someone in to spy on us again." Her smile turned a bit more mocking and self-satisfied.

"I don't think we have time," Michael began.

"No you _have_ to come, all of you, even you Tobey. Yai Yai will be so pleased, she might even bring coffee cake!" she hopped off of Rick's desk with a delighted smile. "It's next Friday at the Hill. Come early."

She didn't even give them time to refuse as she bounded (hopped/skipped/bounded away) out of their office, leaving Rick more confused (but slightly pleased that he was included) than he was to begin with. "What just happened?" he asked.

"We've just been invited to the annual Keegan family reunion. A very high honor considering," Billy explained playing with a pencil at his desk.

"Considering?" he asked once more.

"Considering that she's only just met you," Michael explained, going back to his book.

"Keira's always been a friendly person," Billy remarked. "It's no wonder he's invited."

"That doesn't mean she doesn't have an ulterior motive," Casey stated. "If I were you, I would bring a knife and leave your cell phone at home."

"If I'm bringing a knife, why wouldn't I just bring my gun," Rick asked. "And why can't I bring my cell phone?"

"Do _not_ bring your gun," Michael interrupted with a stern look. "It is a bad idea plain and simple. In regards to the no cell phone… well the official reason is that cell phones bring work and there is no working during the reunion."

"And the unofficial?"

"Her nephew is a technological genius that will hack it the moment he gets his hands on it," Casey replied blandly (dully/monotonously/dryly).

Rick sat there a moment, wondering if he would ever meet a normal (sane/average/regular) person again. "Why would Higgins send someone to infiltrate their family reunion?" he asked suddenly.

He almost blushed at the three piercing looks. "Because Young Rick," Billy began. "The Keegans are an old family full of connections and she never invites him."

Rick caught his mouth before it could drop. "Because he's never been invited? That's it?" he asked incredulously.

"No of course not, you'll just have to figure it out on your own," Michael commented.

Rick squished the urge to scowl. He was a **spy**, he needed to learn these things. He wasn't always going to be handed things on a golden platter…

When next Friday rolled around, Rick was awakened by the sound of his phone ringing and the _jolly_ voice of Billy informing him that they'd be there in fifteen minutes and to dress formal casual.


	2. Chapter 2: ::No 21:: I See You

Reviews are welcome, flames are not.

Short chapter, but a bit important nonetheless. Prompts provided by **daisymall13**

Disclaimer: I do not own CHAOS or its characters

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Chapter Two: #21- I See You

The sounds of laughter could be heard even from a distance. The tinkling voices of young children, the booming and hawing of the older and larger gentlemen, even the soft snickers of the women could be made out. A pair of wives sat outside of their trailer, fanning themselves and talking in the hushed tones of Romanian as they watched a group of men throw knives at a target tacked to a tree.

Each hit could be felt under his hand, the sound reverberating through the false tree and echoing through the long dark tunnel. He continued to walk carefully, the dirt beneath his shoes wet and slippery from the moisture in the air. The cool air danced across his skin, raising goosebumps along his arms. The voices grew steadily raucous as the dirt beneath his shoes turned from mud to stone, moving from the outreaches of the woods behind her house closer to the home itself. The individual words were still undistinguishable through the layers of earth above him, but he could make out the different voices. His heart beat steadily despite his excitement.

It had been years since he had last seen her, his chest ached with the memory. He ignored it, continuing on his silent journey. The voices of various members of her family became more and more distinct, before what was just a mesh of sounds was now a hushed conversation of the invitation of the new guest.

He scoffed to himself. She had prided herself in being a Keegan, being apart of a family who had "_mastered"_ the art of sneaking and blending in, yet here he was, in her house. He wished he could see the look on her face when she found out that he was back, that he had never really left in the first place. He walked slower as he reached the steps that lay hidden beneath the staircase, more silent than the shadow attached to his feet.

He stilled when he heard a knock on the door. Everyone became silent as the grave as Alfred grabbed the shot gun above the coat rack next to him. He barely had time to cock it before Keira came into the entry way raging at him. She had little trouble wrestling the gun from his fingers (everyone seemed to forget that despite Keira's size, she was still a firecracker) and hitting him behind the head with the butt.

Alfred looked a little ashamed (he knew the rules of family reunions), but he was always the first to the gun when faced with something unknown. Keira should have let him keep it, but she didn't.

She opened the door with a cheerful greeting, letting in Dorset and his new team. The short Puerto Rican was obviously their newest addition to the team trailing behind Dorset like an uncertain puppy that as still wet behind the ears. The young man was startled by the hug Keira greeted him with, taken aback by her happy chattering.

_He_ knew better though, it was all a façade for her. She was never as happy as she sounded nor as content as she claimed to be. He could see the tension in her shoulders, her body instinctively knowing something was amiss. She was like a coiled spring, waiting for someone to pull the trigger so that she could release the tension that was pent up inside of her. She continued to talk to the Puerto Rican, easing the nerves of the young man. Her hand touched the back of her hair a few times, as if to brush away his stare.

Collins and Malick left to go to the back yard, where most of the entertainment was, but Michael lingered in the entry way. His brown eyes scanned the area, skimming over the rack and the family in the living room next to him. From the way Michael held himself, he could tell he suspected something. Michael glanced up the staircase, writing off the children running around the instant he saw them.

He held his breath when Michael began to stare at the crack in the staircase. The crack _he_ was staring _out_ of. Michael stepped forward, intending to take a closer look no doubt, but Keira called him away. He started to walk away, giving only a backwards glance at the entryway before leaving it in its entirety.

He had forgotten how intuitive Dorset and Keegan could be. No matter to worry over however, he had gotten this far, what was going to stop him from getting further? What could stop him? He had survived against all odds. He would survive again. He would see her reap what she had sown all those years ago. His chest burned with the forgotten pain.

He stayed where he was. He _had_ gotten this far, he reminded himself, he could wait a little longer until he found the perfect opportunity.


	3. Chapter 3: ::No 36:: Getting to Know You

Thank-you **Lena7142** for your review, I found it very inspiring :), as to your question, there is some logic behind the synonyms. I've gone over some of the episodes (well the previews and 30-45 second blips you can find) and I've found that although Rick is a new guy all around, that there are times when he is very _precise_, and I don't think that the series has really ever emphasized that aspect of him (I was going to go over this a little bit in a later chapter, but why not get it in the open now? (: ). Plus I think that if he has ever seen Casey work out, the _importance_ of precision would have been stuck in his head. So long story short the synonyms is just Rick's way of being exact (or trying to be as he _is_ listing a few synonyms at a time).

Prompts provided by **daisymall13** (but I added a few)

Chapter Three ::No. 36:: Getting to Know You

The day had been a bit enlightening for Rick. Keira had introduced him to most of the family, a very large (expansive/massive/immense) one he had realized. She had stated that only a "few" couldn't make it (but she also said her family wasn't very big), so there was no telling _just_ how big her family was. He had been beginning to wonder if Keira had a loose definition of family, before Michael explained that the Keegans really were a large family, however yes, there were people here that weren't actually related to Keira.

He was more than a bit surprised (he shouldn't have really) to find that the family had come from all sorts of countries (Spain, Ireland, Greece, Romania, Russia, those just off the top of his head). Billy had explained (in extremely vague terms) that it was because love knows no bounds (which left Rick a bit puzzled at first, but then he looked at the big picture (looking at the big picture sometimes gave you a break from the details) and he was lead to the conclusion that maybe Keira wasn't the only CIA operative in the family… which would explain why Higgins had wanted someone on the inside, but he was then surrounded by a bunch of squabbling ladies asking him to compare their potato salads and was forced to let the matter be for now).

Speaking of love, Rick was beginning to think Michael and Keira had something going on between them. They hadn't left each others company since they had arrived, as far as Rick could see. If one was in the room the other was as well. He took a deep breath, trying to stop mulling over the fact that he _was_ technically the new guy, and that there were some things that happened _before_ he joined the ODS. He was probably blowing things out of proportion. It was probably because she was talking with Fay and Michael still loved Fay. Fay _had_ arrived a few hours ago.

They were in the living room, Keira finishing a story about a mission she had shared with Michael "back in the day" to a group of tough (gruff/stoney/large) looking men. Michael was beside her, adding a few details or elaborating and inserting comments about "his side of the story". Fay was sitting across from them listening with a smile on her face.

Keira caught sight of him in the middle of her narrative. "Oh, Tobey! Pull up a chair and crack open a beer."

Room was made for him next to the love seat (_stop_ _thinking there Rick_) Michael and Keira were sharing.

"Are you sure this thing can drink? Is he old enough?" one of the men asked. His arms were thicker than Rick's thighs with a mustache that could compete. The eyebrows on his head looked more like toupees.

"Oh no, Young Rick is tougher than he looks. He ate a _live_ scorpion on his first mission," Billy cut in, suddenly appearing behind him.

"No," the man contradicted. "_This_ little thing?"

"Oh yeah I'll tell ya. Here we were, the four of us, captured…" Billy descended into an elaborate and highly exaggerated retelling of his first mission with the ODS. Rick tried to downplay his part of the mission, but Billy seemed too engrossed in his story telling and ignored Rick's attempts to sway the story back into a realistic perspective. Soon enough a cold beer was thrust into his hand and he was brought into the circle. He was amazed (astonished/surprised/astounded) to find that the men around the coffee table (there were four (of varying sizes)) were obviously ex-CIA themselves, or mercenaries that had retired. It didn't take long to figure out why Higgins had wanted someone inside.

Rick was pulled out of a particularly interesting tale about a sheik and Keira's great great uncle Norbert, by the tugging on his pants. He looked down to see a small girl of no more than six. Her gray green eyes looked at him hopefully (insistently) as a small hand pointed to across the entry way. "Do you need help?" he asked.

The young girl nodded her head, tugging on his pants once more. Rick followed her into the parlor (library more like). On every wall space was a shelf filled with books, and small bobbles. He could see where there were chairs and pillows were piled up, an attempt by the small girl to obviously reach a shelf that had small airplanes which was still out of her reach.

The girl pointed up at a model plane that must have been painted by another child, insistently (urgently/hopefully/pleadingly), crawling up on the chair and pile of pillows to show that she couldn't reach. He pulled it down for her noticing that she had knocked a few bobbles down in her attempt to reach the plane. The girl gave him a wide smile, showing off a missing tooth, before dashing away and up the stairs. Rick started putting the trinkets back in order, finding that on the shelf below a picture frame was face down. He set it right, noticing that it was a picture of a much younger Keira and a few other men.

She was standing in between a younger Michael and an older guy in his late twenties (early thirties?) who could only be a mechanic, if the grease stained overalls where anything to go by. His short hair was more orange than red, a stark contrast next to the brown and copper tones of Keira's. Behind Michael and Keira was an older gentleman (forty at the least) in a pair of jeans and a plaid shirt that matched Keira's outfit today. He had a hand on each of their shoulders looking every bit a proud parent. They must have been on a sanctioned mission of some sort, because they were in the middle of an African field stranding on front of a jeep. Off to the side was a man in a suit, Rick tried to get a better view, but the face was scratched out and colored over with a black sharpie.

"That was Keira's old team, before Michael was promoted that is."

Rick looked over his shoulder. The man stood about six feet tall, black hair pulled back into an elegant (sophisticated/educated/well-to-do) horsetail at the nape of his neck. Icy blue eyes peered at him from behind thin steel colored frames.

"Oh, you knew them?" Rick asked gesturing to the photograph, something inside him ringing the warning bells inside his head.

"Yes. Oh do pardon me," the man continued in his smooth (suave/soft/flowing) English accent, sticking out a hand. "James Lark."

"Rick, but everyone seems to be under the impression that I'm Tobey," Rick said, shaking the hand firmly once and letting it go.

"Ahh no doubt that would be Keira's doing. She was always one for nicknames I'm afraid, even when she was first starting out. I knew her when she was first recruited, you see," James Lark said, walking up beside Rick to get a better look at the picture frame he was holding (clutching/grasping/clinging) on to. "Howards, I believe, was the one to encourage it. That would be the one behind Keira and Michael. To the right is Jake Dockins, a mechanical and demolitions expert from Australia."

Rick nodded his head the bells (alarms/voices/warnings) inside of him telling (yelling/shouting/screaming) at him to be careful. "Interesting," Rick said. "And this is?" He pointed to the man who was marked out.

James Lark had an odd (funny/off/not quite right) look on his face as he replied. "That was Henry Blake. He was their strategist. After Michael was promoted, they went on a mission in Siberia. Howards and Jake were killed and Henry went missing." James Lark gave him an odd look. "Her brother was said to have been sent there on a mission once. You remind me of him actually."

Rick looked up at him, a bit thrown by the topic change. No one had ever mentioned a brother. "Her brother was CIA?" he asked, a little proud that he was able to phrase two questions in one.

"Yes, Keira had an older brother. No one _really_ knows what happened to him, but it was rumored that he was _eaten by wolves_ if you understand my meaning. He was an excellent operative, tragic really, that he is no longer with us."

Rick couldn't help that his curiosity (interest/attention) was peaked at that bit of information. He wasn't really sure what to do with it, but it seemed useful enough. He could hear Keira's laughter drift over from the other room. He glanced over to where she might be wondering if she was laughing at something Michael had said.

James Lark patted him on the shoulder with a sympathetic smile, misinterpreting the look on his face. "Don't worry, Rick, she doesn't date within the office. She doesn't like dating at all, I'm afraid."

"Oh? Why's that?" Rick asked.

"Well, it's sad to say, but women in the field are usually asked to coerce information from some of the more difficult gentlemen. Pillow talk must be interesting when your bed mate is an international arms dealer," he clarified with a dark half hearted chuckle. "Keira's just been sent on one too many of _those_ types of missions. Not that she would ever decline one, she's never been one to back down from anything." James Lark let out a sigh. "Well, that's all the time I have, I'm afraid. If you ever get the chance, play a game of chess with her. You can learn a lot about a person through a game of chess. You would do well to remember that. Good day, Rick."

The tall man left the room through the sliding doors that lead to the dinning room. Rick breathed a small sigh of relief when he was out of sight, placing the picture back in its place on the mantle. Casey was right when he said that the Keegan family was full of a bunch of interesting characters.

He walked back into the living room, unable to completely shake the uneasy (horrible/daunting/foreboding) feeling that had settled into his stomach. He focused on burying it until later when the matter could be addressed with some modicum or discretion.

In the mean time, Keira was moving their tale outside, where a bonfire was getting started and the alcohol was being poured. He smiled when he heard Billy boast about his Scottish blood making him immune to the effects of liquor, Keira took him up on his challenge to prove it.


	4. Chapter 4: ::No 27:: Home

Wasn't really sure what to do for this prompt, might revisit it later if I find some inspiration later. Anyways, review are welcome, flames are not.

Prompts provided by **daisymall13** (but I added a few)

Chapter Four ::No 27:: Home

Cousin Yoska and Uncle Bear had waited until the kids were tucked away before they brought out the liquor. The sun had long since set, but the bonfire was giving enough heat that they hadn't really noticed.

Immediately Keira challenged Billy, thrusting a bottle of vodka in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other. "Choose your poison," she said with an evil grin, slipping off her shoes. "Tobey!" she called, looking around for the short man. He appeared soon after, standing up from a lawn chair he was sitting in by some of the tiki torches that was burning oil. "You are being called to mediate this challenge! For every lyric missed, a drink, for every song we sing, a drink, we'll start slow and get faster as we go and no standing still! If you're still, three more drinks!"

Rick looked to Michael, a leader even when he wasn't. Michael nodded from his sitting position beside Fay, who was dozing on his shoulder. Rick gave Keira a small smile that made her grin in response.

"He'll do it!" she cried out to the family that had gathered around, resulting in a cheer that lifted her spirits. There was no happier feeling than to be surrounded by family. She grinned wider, facing Billy, who had popped the top off the whiskey bottle.

"Who will join us?" he called out, lifting his bottle of whiskey into the air. "Casey! Show us your prowess! Join us!"

Casey gave him a glare, but the cheers and calls from the men around him prompted him to take up a bottle. Lila joined a moment later leaving her shoes in her chair and dragging Uncle Issac with her.

They joined in a loose circle around the fire, Aunt Riley and Papa Paul clapping a steady beat that Rick and Michael soon joined.

"Face down in the gutter won't admit defeat, though his clothes are soiled and black, He's a big strong man with a child's mind, don't you take his booze away!"

Keira heard the sound of birds singing when she woke. Her head throbbed as she pulled her pillow closer and buried her face into the covers to hide from the bright sun. Her mind sprang to action when he heard her pillow murmur. She opened her eyes slowly, trying to adjust to the harshness of the morning sun.

Billy was lying next to her, clutching Casey's leg to him like a pillow. Casey was laying spread eagle with an empty bottle of whiskey clutched in each hand.

Keira sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Michael and Fay were in each others arms on the couch. (The couch? How did we get the couch out here?) All around the fire pit were family members all in varying body positions and various states of undress.

Keira stood slowly, glad that she at least had her bra and somebody's shorts, grabbing a blanket that was at their feet and throwing it over Fay and Michael, before slowly making her way to the kitchen for a large glass of orange juice. She stumbled a few times, but she eventually made it around the bodies of her incapacitated family and into her kitchen, stepping over Uncle Bear and Little Cousin Emily, the small girl curled up in his side, blonde hair splewed out everywhere.

She couldn't help but smile, as she always did when she saw her family. She couldn't remember half of the night, but she knew she had fun, and what else were you to do when surrounded by family (and friends who might as well be family), but have fun? She would have to confer with Rick, but she was pretty sure she won that drinking game from last night. One of the drinking games from last night at least.

She slowly made her way around Uncle Bear and Little Cousin Emily and into the foyer, looking for her jacket on the coat rack. She pulled the furry Chewbacca jacket from the rack, not really sure she could make it up the stairs, glancing up at her father's motto. She had tried her hand at embroidery once, but eventually gave up, but not before getting this once piece stitched together.

It was a small girl with red hair, standing before a wolf at least twice her size. To the side it simply stated "When the wolf stands in my way, baring fangs of death, I will stand to be brave, until my final breath".

Keira smiled, reading it as she always did when she pulled on a jacket. She made her way to the bathroom downstairs, the one by the converted pantry, grabbing the bottles of aspirin she had left and making her way back outside where she was sure some of the others would be stirring.

Billy and Casey were still in their comatose state, but Michael was sitting up, Fay not willing to move herself from his lap (even in sleep) despite his attempts to make her more comfortable.

Keira smiled. Michael and Fay might have broken it off, but they were still firmly in love with each other. He looked up at her approach. She held out a bottle of aspirin. "Need some?" she asked softly.

He nodded, giving her a grateful smile. "What time is it," he asked a moment later, tossing two pills into his mouth and swallowing them dry.

"Too early for you to be asking," she replied, noticing Rick stir in a chair close to the pile of ash that was the impressive bonfire last night.

"Smart ass," Michael muttered, a _very_ small smile on his face.

Keira gave him a smile, searching through her pockets as she turned, producing a marker a moment later.

Michael dropped the smile. "Don't," he said simply.

"How do you know what I'm going to do?" she asked indignantly, uncapping the marker anyways.

"You're going to regret it," he warned a bit louder, waking Rick in the process.

"Shhhh!" she scolded. "You don't want them to wake up yet." She walked closer to Billy and Casey, ignoring Rick's bleary eyes watching her.

"Keir, I'm not joking. Don't tickle a sleeping dragon," Michael insisted. "Ask yourself what Dumbledore would do."

"Good thing there's no dragon," she said with a smile. "And Dumbledore would offer me a lemon drop and twinkle his eyes at me knowingly, possibly mockingly if you believe the theories about how he was a manipulative old bastard but I like to look to the bright side."

"It's your funeral," Michael sighed, leaning back into the couch. Rick almost asked what was going to happen, but watched Keira instead.

Keira walked slowly and carefully up to Billy and Casey, crouching silently. She did her work quickly, knowing that she would only have seconds before their spidey senses began to tingle, if they weren't tingling already, and they woke up. She jumped up at the slightest sign of them stirring, not even daring to touch Casey, and darted away, diving behind the couch with Michael and sleeping Fay.

Rick stared at her with abject horror when he realized what she did. She put a finger to her lips when she noticed his jaw drop. He snapped it shut, turning away to watch Billy get up. Keira tried to contain her sniggers when she saw his face pale.

She heard Billy give a loud yawn, and she put a hand to her mouth, slowing her beating heart.

"Something wrong Young Rick?" she heard him ask.

Rick shook his head vigorously, looking like a doe caught in the headlights.

"What? You've never seen the body of Adonis before? The nurses themselves were breathless when they laid eyes on my new born state," Billy sounded puffed up.

"They were breathless because they had never seen a more hideous child. Go get some pants on," Casey's droning voice wafted over the couch, making it more difficult for Keira to contain her mirth.

"I don't know, I'm enjoying this breeze, it's really refreshing," Billy replied.

"Billy, I would go get some clothes on," Michael's cool demeanor could be felt through the couch.

Fay must have woken at some point because the next thing Keira heard was, "Billy what happened to your face?"

There was a resounding silence in whish Keira wasn't sure if she could hold back her laughter any more.

"… What do you mean?" Billy asked, and Keira couldn't help it.

A loud snort filled the air, before Keira's mostly dressed figure, darted from behind the couch and up a near by tree.

"Did you-" Billy began.

"Not at all." Keira interrupted him, settling down on a branch a good distance from the ground.

"Are you-"

"I would never!"

"Why are-"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"But you just-"

"No I didn't."

"I just saw you run."

Keira gave him a scrutinizing look. "…I don't understand what you mean."

"I just saw you run from behind the couch, what did you do?"

She gasped. "Billy!"

"What?"

"How could you?"

"What!"

"You would insinuate such a thing!"

"Yes! I'm Scottish, not stupid," he replied, not phased by the tears or the lip wobbling she was using. It certainly worked on Rick, who was looking up at her in confusion and concern.

She sniffed. "I'm a decent woman, Billy. To think that you could even think that I would do something against you hurts."

"You're not very decent considering your state of undress," Billy pointed out.

Keira looked down, forgetting for a moment that she was still not wearing a shirt. "I'm wearing a jacket and some shorts."

"Shorts that are obviously not yours, seeing as how they're so big that they're showing off your _lovely_ pair of knickers, but still no shirt."

"I'm wearing more than you! _You're_ not wearing any pants!"

"But I'm a guy; I can go without wearing pants."

"No you can't, so go find your pants Collins," Casey interrupted.

Billy shot him a playfully hurt look before looking back up at Keira. "Do you have a pair of trousers I could borrow?"

"I think my father still has some pants, but if they don't fit ask Cousin Yoska for a pair of pants and tell him he owes me if he tries to refuse," Keira called down.

Once Billy was out of the house, she hopped down from the tree. Rick continued to look at her in astonishment. Fay stood up and ran a hand through her messy hair. "Where's Desmond?" she asked. "I want to say hello before I leave."

Keira smiled. "He came in late last night, so I'm letting him sleep in a bit."

Rick looked up at the two of them, sleep still clinging to his form. "Coffee?" he asked.

Fay laughed good naturedly. "Come on Rick, I know where she puts things," she said heading towards the kitchen.

Casey appeared by her side. He looked at her for a moment before he nodded his head once before following Rick and Fay into the kitchen. Keira chuckled proud that Casey approved of her work.

Michael stood up and stretched from his position on the couch. He looked over at her, no hint of a smile on his face. "You can feel it," he stated, never one for dancing around the bush when it came to safety.

Keira's face melted. "This is home. This is my family. This is _my_ place."

"But you still feel it. Don't think you're untouchable here. You're better than that." Michael gave her a serious look, all signs of the playful Michael from before gone.

Keira let out a silent sigh, knowing that the twinge in her stomach wasn't because it was empty or abused by last nights drinking. Something was wrong and it wasn't a good feeling.

"I know, it's just come at a bad time."

"That doesn't mean something isn't happening," Michael interrupted, sternly.

She shot him a dark look. "I know that Michael," she snapped, regretting it a moment later. She made to apologize but Michael cut it off with a nod. "I can't do anything with the family here."

Michael gave her a doubtful look, but didn't say anything. He was an outsider all things considered. He may have known her for a long time, but there were only two people who knew her completely. She invited him to the family reunions, an out right declaration of where he stood with her and the family by extension, and he would always be grateful for the doors it had opened for him. But he was still considered an outsider and he would never understand the inner family politics.

"I can't do anything with the family here," she enforced.

Michael raised his hands in a motion of peace. "I didn't say anything."

She shot him a stern look.

"Just be careful."

Keira's gaze softened unwillingly. "I will… Now, I'm hungry and I don't think it'll be much longer before Billy-"

"KEIRA KEEGAN!"

Keira let out a squeak and darted towards the woods, stumbling as she did so. "Never mind!" she called to Michael, throwing him a reassuring smile before disappearing into the trees.


	5. Chapter 5: ::No 16:: Children

Another more difficult chapter, sorry it's been so long we recently hatched a bunch of chicks and long story short one of the chicks got into a fight with a cat and has been having the ruff of it. I've been a bit busy with him (or maybe her I'm still not sure), so I'm not sure when the next chapter will get out.

Either way, reviews are welcome, flames are not.

Prompts provided by **daisymall13** (but I added a few)

* * *

Chapter Five ::No 16:: Children

Rick was sitting on the kitchen island sipping at his cup of coffee. Fay was ignoring Michael, while Casey was squeezing a fresh glass of orange juice from oranges picked from a tree near where he lived (actually Rick wasn't sure where the oranges came from). Billy was chasing down a very elusive Keira, who was able to catch an apple thrown out the window before she dashed off again with a smile on her face.

He was surprised at how well she could hold her liquor. Billy he knew was able to down shots of scotch like it was water. There were times when they were undercover and his cast iron stomach came in handy. Casey surprised him by holding just as much. Michael had elected to sit back with Rick, explaining a few things to him (surprisingly) about the family. Like how you should never ask their occupation, and if they gave you a name, you called them by it no matter what anyone else will tell you, not including Keira. Keira's word was law, apparently. He wasn't quite sure how that was, seeing as how there were many other family members much older than her, but he didn't question it.

Rick took another sip of his coffee, looking over his shoulder as he saw a trail of children enter the living room behind him.

The small blonde girl from yesterday rubbed at her eyes as she lead another small boy (maybe two or three) over towards where Michael was sitting. She looked up at him before butting her head against his leg, pointing vaguely to her mouth.

"Keira will be here in a-"

The small girl and boy were suddenly swooped up into Keira's nimble arms. "Ohh good morning little children, are you hungry for some cereal?"

Keira's face was flushed with excitement. Her green eyes twinkling with an inner mirth that vibrated through out her body. She was now wearing a t-shirt (the black color would have brought out the red in her hair and the green in her eyes, but the pink Energizer Bunny ruined the effect) and a belt to hold her shorts up.

Keira set the children on the table and headed over towards the fridge in the corner. "Are you awake now Tobey?"

Rick nodded, taking another sip of hot coffee as she pulled out a gallon of milk from the practically empty fridge and a box of _Corn Pops_ from above. She set them on the counter before heading back to the cabinet for a set of bowels and spoons. Keira helped pour the cereal ad milk before she herself went over to the fruit bowel and helped herself to another apple.

"The family is leaving after they eat their breakfast," Keira said.

"Do you need us to stay and help clean?" Michael asked, his tone didn't match the words he spoke though. Rick looked up in curiosity. Michael was looking at Keira intently.

"I can clean by myself," she replied, meeting his intense gaze over another bite of apple.

"We'll stay and help," he replied, shooting a glance at Casey, before giving Billy the same one where he stood in the doorway.

"Nothing better to bond over than a bit of house cleaning," Billy chirped. He held up a pair of blue jeans, the marker that adorned his face earlier now gone. "I found my pants!"

"Oh Billy, please, not in front of the kids!" Keira scolded lightly with a smile.

Billy smiled a Friendly smile at the two children on the counter. The girl was smiling into her milk, trying to pretend that she wasn't laughing. The two year old let out a breathy laugh, holding his arms up to Billy. "I'yee, I'yee, I'yee," he repeated, mashing up Billy's name in an adorable way. Rick smiled, finishing his cup of coffee.

"Tommy boy! Good morning!" Billy replied, a Happy smile on his face as he picked up the small child. "How are you?"

"Good," the small boy tried to wrap his mouth around the words.

"And little miss Emily?"

The small girl blushed lightly, giving Billy a toothless smile. "I lost my tooth," she said softly. Rick looked at her in surprise. He was beginning to believe that she was mute… yet here she was, talking with Billy.

Billy gasped. "Congratulations! Did you stick it under your pillow?" Billy asked.

The small girl nodded vigorously. Rick stood to grab another cup of coffee, listening with only one ear as Billy conversed with Tommy and Emily. He glanced at Keira, who was smiling endearingly at Billy and the two children. Casey was looking meaningfully at Michael from behind her back. Michael shook his head subtly, taking a sip from his cup.

Rick made a mental note to talk to Billy later. In the mean time, he sat back down watching Keira and Billy interact with the two children. He wasn't fazed as more and more entered the kitchen. Rick knew that there were more than two children in the Keegan family, he was tripping all over them yesterday.

Eventually he gave up his spot for a place on the couch next to Casey and Michael, saying goodbye to Fay as she left for her home. Casey and Michael were conversing almost silently, but Rick wasn't paying attention, more intrigued as to how he could have missed the fact that Billy was born to be a family man.

Some of the children, he knew, didn't speak English very well, and yet Billy was able to make them laugh and giggle with little trouble. Below his feet, children swarmed arms raised as he tossed them in the air.

"Fusée, encore une fois s'il vous plaît!" one of the children, a small girl with brown hair and blue eyes squealed.

"Attendez votre tour, Kim," Keira replied easily, shocking Rick.

"Oui, mon cousin Keira," the small girl replied.

Rick stared at the two in wonder. He was not very familiar with French, only learning a few passing phrases in high school to talk to their foreign exchange student who ended up being a guy anyways.

"Do you want to play, Young Rick?" Billy asked, noticing his stares.

Rick shook his heads, a light blush dusting the back of his neck. "I'm not really-"

Casey kicked him off of the couch. "Play with the children Martinez, before you make one cry."

Rick stood up, disturbed at the glare that Casey sent after him.

"Casey's scared of only two things. Angry women and crying children," Keira stage whispered to him, dodging the knife that flew at her with ease. Rick paled, staring at the knife that was lodged into the wood wall behind them.

"The decibels their voices can reach can damage your hearing," he stated monotonously.

Keira ignored him and looked at Rick reassuringly. "It's ok, Tobey, they only bite when threatened. Don't do anything threatening and you'll be fine!" Keira's bubbly voice was very reminiscent of Billy.

Some of the children gave him interested looks.

"Family, this is Tobey, Tobey, this is family," Keira announced, translating into a few different languages for those who didn't understand.

"Actually that's Rick Martinez," a drowsy voice replied from the stair well. A small boy stumbled into the kitchen area, brushing black messy hair from his blue eyes. Rick was taken a back for a moment. Not only did the child know his real name, but he was an almost duplicate copy of Keira. "You really shouldn't introduce people by their nicknames Aunt Rara."

The boy butted his head against Keira's stomach sleepily. "Aww Dessy, you spoil the fun," she chuckled affectionately. "_Rick_, this is Desmond. Dessy this is Rick, who I and most of the family call Tobey."

Desmond looked over to him woefully. "I apologize on behalf of my Aunt for the terrible misconception she had placed before the family. I can try, but I do not think the mistake will ever be reverted."

Rick chuckled in astonishment. "I'm getting attached to the nickname, actually, but thank-you for the offer."

Desmond shrugged. "Do you have a cell phone with you?" he asked.

"Go say hello to Fay, she's been waiting patiently for you to wake up so she can say hello," Keira interrupted, pushing the boy slightly.

"The wee lad's grown!" Billy exclaimed a moment later. "I remember when he was just a little tyke. How old is he now?"

"Just turned nine the little nut ball," Keira replied with a chuckle.

Rick looked up in surprise. "Nine?" he asked, not able to help the astonished tone in his voice.

"Quick as a whip isn't he?" she replied excitedly.

Rick glanced at the young boy in the living room, who was talking politely with Michael and Fay. Casey was looking at Desmond with a cool indifference. The children from earlier now straggling away, being called by mothers and fathers and grandparents from outside.

"He looks a lot like you," Rick said, not realizing he had said the words until they were out of his mouth.

Keira's smile seemed a little forced. "I'm told that often. Desmond, does Aunt Heather know you're trying to hide a puppy?" Keira asked suddenly, changing the topic.

Desmond froze, cutting himself off in the middle of his conversation with Fay. "She says she can't sleep on my bed, but Maggie get's scared by herself," Desmond replied, a blush forcing it's way on his face.

Keira raised an eyebrow. "Maggie?" she asked. "And where did you find Maggie?"

"Oh come on, Aunt Rara, she was a runt, and Aunt Heather said that nobody wants the runts!" Desmond pleaded. "I swear I'll take care of her and I'll train her, I promise! Aunt Helga said that she didn't mind! And they say that children with dogs learn responsibility quicker and do better in school and-"

Keira interrupted him with a laugh, obviously knowing that she had lost the battle with the boy even before it had started. "You need to tell Aunt Heather, but I don't think she'd mind as long as you promise to use your manners and help pick up after her." Keira gave him a stern look. "And don't even think about dropping my name."

"Yes, ma'am. Can I bring her down for breakfast?" he asked eagerly, knowing he had won.

After her nod the young boy dashed up the stairs a large grin slipping his face in two.

"Are you sure that was a wise idea?" Michael asked. Rick was almost surprised to see a knowing smile at his lips.

Keira gave him a defeated smile, leaning against the kitchen island with her chin in her hand. "Every boy needs a dog, right?"

"He's got you wrapped around his little finger doesn't he?" Billy asked with a special "I Pity You" smile that he saved for the very special occasions that

"I'm a sucker," she sighed, smiling softly.

"I'm glad to hear you're no longer in doubt," Casey intoned from his position on the couch.

Fay had decided to make her exit, giving Keira a hug and Desmond a kiss on the top of his head. As Keira walked her out to her car, Rick looked at the puppy in Desmond's arms.

"I once had a dog. He was a shepherd mix of some sort; the vet thought he was a German shepherd lab mix. We got her from the pound," he began, crouching in front of the boy and puppy. "You should hold her like this," he said, showing the young boy how to hold the puppy better.

"Aww! Young Rick you're getting the hang of it," Billy exclaimed with a false I'm So Proud smile.

Rick scratched the back of his head, noticing that Michael was staring at him intently. "I'd go make sure that Maggie doesn't need to use the bathroom, Desmond," Michael said with a rare smile.

Desmond replied with his own grin and lead Maggie to the front door, slipping on a pair of shoes before heading outside.

Michael looked back to Rick seriously. "Children are very precious in this family, Rick, be careful with what you say, especially around Keira," he warned, replacing his stern face with a small smile just in time for Keira to walk inside.

"The family is getting ready to go, so I would say your goodbyes while you still can," she said with a smile and a twinkle in her eyes. Rick couldn't help but notice a tightness around her eyes as she said it though, and Rick wondered if the reason why they were staying to "clean up" was not as friendly as Rick was lead to believe.


End file.
